History of the Evraz Group

Evraz Group is a vertically-integrated firm which is largely self-sufficient in terms of iron ore supply and more than self-sufficient in coking coal production. From its origins in metals trading in 1992 Evraz has grown into one of the largest integrated steelmakers in the world, producing ~14 million tonnes of crude steel in 2015.

EAM Group was led by Alexander G. Abramov, who is currently [as at mid-2011] Chairman of the Evraz Group Board of Directors.

The West Siberian Steel Works [annual steel capacity of ~6.5 million tonnes] is also known as Zapsib.

NKMK is also known as Novokuznetsk Metallurgical Kombinat [2011 steel production capacity of ~1.9 million tonnes / year].

NTMK [Niznhy Tagil Metallurgical Plant; also known as Nizhny Tagil Metallurgical Kombinat] is jointly controlled with the Swiss company Duferco.

The Evrazruda mining business comprises the Tashtagol Mine, Kaz Mine, the Sheregesh Mine, Gurev Mine and the Abagur Sinter and Enrichment Works; as well as the Abakanskoye Mine and the Teya Mine [all CIS based].

1999: EvrazHolding at this point also had control over ZSMK (Zapsib) and NKMK (Novokuznetsk Works), as well as the Vysokogorsky and Kachkanarsky iron ore mines, Evrazruda and Nakhodka Sea Port.

2006: Strategic Minerals Corporation in the USA is one of the world's leading producers of vanadium alloys; the firm also produces chemicals for steel, titanium and other industries.

2008: Portfolio of assets acquired by Evraz in Ukraine included the Sukha Balka Iron Ore Mining and Processing Works, the Dneprodzerzhinsk Coke Chemical Plant, Dneprokoks and Bagleykoks, and the Dnepropetrovsk Iron and Steel Works.

2009: Vanady-Tula in Russia’s largest ferrovanadium producer.

2012: Evrazruda Sheregesh mine reconstruction intended to increase production 2.5 times to 4.8 Mtpa by 2016.

2013: Evraz' plant Palini e Bartoli at San Giorgio di Nogaro in northern Italy has the capacity to produce ~500,000 tonnes per year of steel plate.

2013: Sale of the Vysokogorsky Iron Ore Mining and Processing Plant (VGOK) to NPRO URAL was announced in October 2013.

2013: Kostanay facility is a light-section rolling mill commissioned in December 2013. This plant is a joint venture between EVRAZ (65%) and the Kazakh Caspian Group (35%).

2014: Refurbished Novokuznetsk facility has an estimated production capacity of ~950,000 tonnes of rails per year, which is roughly equivalent to Russia’s annual rail demand.

2015: After commencing voluntary rescue proceedings in April 2015, Evraz Highveld was largely sustained by a R150m working capital loan from South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation. Financial support from a Hong Kong based investor in September 2015 offered the company a lifeline, but medium-term prospects for the business are still uncertain as at Q4 2015.

2016: Evraz announced in January 2016 that its steel mill in Kostanay would halt production due to weak demand and unfavorable market conditions. The Kazakh rebar plant was commissioned in 2013 and the plant's annual production was 450kt of steel rebar in diameters of 10-40mm.

2016: The decision to close the Oregon mill was reportedly related to three factors (i) delays in regulatory approvals for pipelines in the US and Canada (ii) the influx of unfairly traded and subsidised imported large diameter pipe to the US (iii) high import duties of up to 50% on pipe shipments into Mexico.